No-knock warrant could be a thing of the past

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -Police executing warrants without knocking first just became a thing of the past in one Kentucky city.

And now, U.S. Senator Rand Paul is hoping to make the “Justice For Breonna Taylor Act” a federal law.

The bill is named in memory of Taylor, a Louisville resident who was killed during a police raid on her home in March under the authority of a no-knock warrant.

The act would require law enforcement officers to provide notice of their authority and purpose before executing a warrant.

While the act hasn’t been voted on in Washington just yet, the Louisville Metro Council unanimously passed a measure that bans the use of no-knock warrants last night, called Breonna’s Law.

WNKY asked local residents for their take on whether no knock warrants are a good idea.

Some supporting them if used to save lives.

“I believe in some cases no-knock warrants actually save lives and are good to protect the lives of the law enforcement and the people that are in the house, maybe they know there is guns involved. So, there is a place for it, I believe,” said Mandel Stockton.

While others strongly disagreed with the use of no-knock warrants.

“No-knock warrants in general, I don’t think it’s something that should be implemented throughout our society now-a-days due to the fact that, you know, what if people were actually not guilty, like most recent events that have happened, you know. What if they are not really guilty and you just come in and you’re all swat team on them and you’re like ‘pew pew pew.’ … I think it’s a faulty system that could be easily broken,” said Xander Steele.

“For the rights of the people on the other side and especially based on recent events. We see what can happen negatively without that,” said Bryce Wilhite.

The Bowling Green Police Department tells us that the agency rarely uses no knock warrants, but if they must, it requires approval from the chief of police, and of course, a judge.